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Bit late to the party but which Aliexpress shelter should I chose?

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 11:04 am
by pistonbroke
I'm sure the answer is buried somewhere in either the bargain alert or postman thread but I'm getting increasingly confused with the range of tarp tent options. My current setup is decent thick inflatable down mat. Lightish quilt and borah bivvy with the chest zip and a r1g 3.5 tarp which I usually set up as an A frame. I've seen the Aliexpress Trailstar copy and others with inners that use a trekking pole extended to about 1,200mm. I've got a pair of alu poles that are 1,050 and 800mm respectively that form the ends of my A frame and would prefer to retain these as they fit nicely down the seat tube/ post. The trailstar copy seems a bit big at about 3.2m square, is there anything else I should be looking at which is shaped and has some sort of loop in the roof to attach my borah to as I prefer not to have the mozzie net touching my face. There also seems to be several Lunar Solo copies on Aliexpress but these require side access to the bivvy which doesn't work for me. Basically I'm looking for something offering a bit more space/protection/privacy than my current setup without major cost as it's used infrequently and in generally benign weather.

Re: Bit late to the party but which Aliexpress shelter should I chose?

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 11:15 am
by Bearbonesnorm
I told you before Duncan - Gatewood Cape is the answer. Mike's now wishing he bought one years ago. :wink:

Re: Bit late to the party but which Aliexpress shelter should I chose?

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 11:27 am
by The Cumbrian
There are loads of discussions about Aliexpress shelters over on Trek-lite, as well as lots of other topics that segway nicely with bikepacking.

Re: Bit late to the party but which Aliexpress shelter should I chose?

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 11:49 am
by RIP
"segway" - interesting word slip there. Still, they have two wheels so I reckon are perfectly valid as a bikepacking iron horse. Be interesting mounting the bags on one. A whole new bikepacking genre opens up again. You saw it on BBB first (as usual).

:wink: :grin:

("Gatewood Cape" - doh, I really need to view yours MaM. I'd just buy one but I'm still pottering along on my anti-consumerism trip)

Re: Bit late to the party but which Aliexpress shelter should I chose?

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 11:54 am
by pistonbroke
I told you before Duncan - Gatewood Cape is the answer.
I'm not paying €150 for a pacamac :grin: The Aliexpress trailstar is €50 inc shipping with free Coronavirus, what's not to like? Just wish it wasn't so cavernous. I've seen the comparison with the real thing and yes the fabric is more durable but I'm not considering taking it to the North Pole. Really looking for recent thoughts on if there are any others I should consider.
Reg, segway "2 wheels with a nob on top "

Re: Bit late to the party but which Aliexpress shelter should I chose?

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 11:54 am
by middleagedmadness
Keep your eye on backpackinglight. De Duncan , they have great sales I got m cape for £100 last September as did a few others when I posted the sale up, easily fits into my ortileb waist pack and there’s no weight to it at all ,was gonna say seem seal it but where you are there’s not that much reason too :wink:

Re: Bit late to the party but which Aliexpress shelter should I chose?

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 12:17 pm
by Bearbonesnorm
Okay then, if we're working within the confines of tight b'stard, then one of these. TS is way too big for what you need and requires two poles. This is bug proof so you can leave the bivvy at home, sets up very quickly and offers enough covered area for cooking etc.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3283606 ... f5a744d351

Re: Bit late to the party but which Aliexpress shelter should I chose?

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 1:20 pm
by pistonbroke
At the risk of being told to go forth and multiply, I like taking the borah as it allows me to use it in refugios as a mozzie excluder and keeps my quilt from going walkies as I have all the sleep characteristics of a tumble drier. I'm begining to wonder whether sewing a triangular end on my r1g might be the answer :oops:
Not "tight" rather careful but spot on with the b'stard bit :-bd

Re: Bit late to the party but which Aliexpress shelter should I chose?

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 1:31 pm
by sean_iow
pistonbroke wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2020 1:20 pm wonder whether sewing a triangular end on my r1g might be the answer :oops:
Is it for privacy or added protection? I made an end panel for my myog tarp, I left some gaps as it should still allow some airflow to reduce condensation. You could make one for each end? It just clips to the tie-outs on the bottom corners and the top is a toggle that goes through a rind sewn on a bit of webbing on the underside of the ridge.

Image

Re: Bit late to the party but which Aliexpress shelter should I chose?

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 3:59 pm
by benp1
I have a MLD Patrol Shelter, might be what you're after? Whether it's this product or this design...

My one is made of spinnnaker. I'm not using it and would sell it to you but it would probably be over your budget

Re: Bit late to the party but which Aliexpress shelter should I chose?

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 4:05 pm
by stevewaters
Bearbonesnorm wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2020 12:17 pm Okay then, if we're working within the confines of tight b'stard, then one of these. TS is way too big for what you need and requires two poles. This is bug proof so you can leave the bivvy at home, sets up very quickly and offers enough covered area for cooking etc.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3283606 ... f5a744d351
I am pretty sure my mate has one of these used once that he would be happy to sell. IM me if anyone's interested in buying it from him and I will find out more.

Re: Bit late to the party but which Aliexpress shelter should I chose?

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 4:50 pm
by Dave Barter
You realise that all this AliExpress stuff is hacked and records your farts/snores/wanks/etc..

Donald Trump told me that

But Duncan will probably force them to turn it off.

Re: Bit late to the party but which Aliexpress shelter should I chose?

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 6:54 pm
by jamiep
I bought this last summer but afraid i've not actually tried it yet. LanShan 1
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000303876219.html
But it cost £66, partly due to a site-wide sale that Ali regularly have.
It has a few ties and lines that are chunky and could be replaced with lighter lines. And I recall it isnt as heavy anyway as the 900-whatever grams it says. That might include the hefty pegs

edit, it may have been this one https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32811637993.html

Re: Bit late to the party but which Aliexpress shelter should I chose?

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 7:36 pm
by pistonbroke
Ben, I've had a look at the MLD tarp and it seems to fit the bill. I'll PM you.

Re: Bit late to the party but which Aliexpress shelter should I chose?

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 8:11 pm
by Al
Bought a ‘lanshan 1’ last summer with a view to just using the outer as a crap weather tarp.
Realised the inner weighed no more the my bivi (being mostly mesh) so I’ve used it as nature intended since then. I really rate it - the construction is spot on and it’s packs small and light.
I’m 6’1” and that is pretty border line height wise with an air mat, but that’s is the only issue I can see.
(I daren't say it out loud in this company, but I’ve only used the bivi bag once since!)

Edit:

This one, but think I paid about £65 - the prices go up and down all the time so just wait a bit
https://h5.aliexpress.com/item/40003036 ... 0303630837

Re: Bit late to the party but which Aliexpress shelter should I chose?

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 9:43 pm
by Shewie
The new'ish Lanshan 1 Pro which Al linked to above looks to be a decent shelter, I bought one a few months ago but haven't used it yet, I've pitched it a couple of times and it goes up easily enough with the right length pole. It doesn't have a separate inner but has a bathtub floor and mesh sewn into the side walls, basically a SMD Lunar. To get the most out of the bathtub walls it likes a lofty pitch, but it will nail to the ground okay but the floor height is lost. Packs nicely, usual 3F quality, I'll get some pics up if I can find them.

Re: Bit late to the party but which Aliexpress shelter should I chose?

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 11:33 pm
by Al
Shewie wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2020 9:43 pm The new'ish Lanshan 1 Pro which Al linked to above looks to be a decent shelter, I bought one a few months ago but haven't used it yet,
Right sorry - I’ve not got the newer ‘pro’ one I’ve got this one:
https://m.aliexpress.com/item/400046451 ... UwQAvD_BwE

Be interested to see how you get on with it - I’ve always fancied a lunar solo. How tall are you?

Re: Bit late to the party but which Aliexpress shelter should I chose?

Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2020 11:37 pm
by Charliecres
I have, I think, one of these https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32811637993.html
I’ve only used the outer with a super-light splash-resistant bivy. I love it. Keeps the weather out, packs small and light and can be opened wide on a fine night. The inner looks fine, too.

Re: Bit late to the party but which Aliexpress shelter should I chose?

Posted: Thu Jan 30, 2020 7:39 am
by Al
Charliecres wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2020 11:37 pm I have, I think, one of these https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32811637993.html
I’ve only used the outer with a super-light splash-resistant bivy. I love it. Keeps the weather out, packs small and light and can be opened wide on a fine night. The inner looks fine, too.
That’s exactly the setup I was using - I found that the inner tent weighed no more than the splash proof bivy and a strip of tyvex I used under my mat and a midge free space. If you’ve not used it give it a go.